Should D&D do all fantasy?

[Morrus]

D&D simulates D&D. it's the most popular fantasy RPG; it's not the all-encompassing fantasy RPG, and is not trying to be.

Those who want a more generic system shouldn't really be looking to D&D for it. That is not, and never has been, D&D's design goals.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I don't think I've personally come across ANY system that covers all fantasy, as it were.

Everything basically seems to mimic a different subset of fantasy, giving them each a little niche spot in the market. I think I prefer things that way to any one all encompassing if only because there's so many different kinds of fantasy that it would be overly generic so as to cover...well, everything. Its best to just pick an area to cover and go with that.

D&D's area is D&D, as others have said, and it does it perfectly. I don't really ask anything else from it.

 

[Desdichado]

I don't think D&D is the definitive fantasy, nor do I want it to be.

Unless you speak very broadly and equate D&D to the entire d20 movement, maybe. Within the broader scope of OGL/d20 you can find something that does nearly every type of fantasy I can imagine.

But D&D is more specific. As are each of the other iterations: Conan, Thieves' World, Midnight, Black Company, Cthulhu, etc.

What D&D does, however, is borrow from pretty much all fantasies and reinterpret their conventions, traditions and ideas in a native D&D environment.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

While I'd like it if D&D could model a wider variety of fantasy tropes better (or at all)- tattoo magic, runestones, mirror magic, arcane herbalism, truenaming magic and others are either absent or exist in some form that doesn't really mesh with the wider game- I don't think that it is really possible.

Ultimately, the only systems that can run any kind of fantasy (especially side-by-side within a single campaign) are the more generic, toolbox style games, like HERO, GURPS, or M&M.

 

[blargney the second]

D&D isn't really any more or less genre-encompassing than any other game. It was just first. Excluding genres is partially inherent to the simple selection of a core mechanic.

 

[jdrakeh]

D&D isn't really any more or less genre-encompassing than any other game. It was just first. Excluding genres is partially inherent to the simple selection of a core mechanic.

Games that do provide specific rules for X, encompass X; games that do not provide rules for X, do not encompass X. Games that include very specific rules designed to emulate multiple genres and modes that D&D does not include such rules for encompass those genres and modes while D&D does not. Claiming that D&D is not less genre-encompassing than games which do include said rules is factually inaccurate.

 

[WayneLigon]

D&D can do most of the types of fantasy mentioned; it really depends on how willing you are to house-rule, and how willing you are to say 'no' to players who wish to use items or character concepts that break the 'level of fantasy' you want.

Now, for some of the examples given, you'll find yourself re-writing or at least cutting out about half the PHB, the basic game system* can handle most of those. In many of those cases, it would be easier and more convenient on everyone concerned to use a different game system.

* I myself consider 'D&D' and 'd20 Fantasy' to be one and the same; Conan is D&D, Midnight is D&D, Arcana Unearthed is D&D, True20 is a very close cousin of D&D, etc.

 

[hong]

D&D is as genre-encompassing as World of Warcraft.

 

[WhatGravitas]

D&D is as genre-encompassing as World of Warcraft.

Which means it looks like doing everything. At least as long as you're playing and keep playing, and do not start thinking too hard about it.

Cheers, LT.

 

[blargney the second]

Games that do provide specific rules for X, encompass X; games that do not provide rules for X, do not encompass X.

I'm not talking about specific rules - I'm talking about core mechanics: D&D's d20, White Wolf's d10s, Shadowrun's d6s, etc. The types of probabilities they use produce entirely different feels, which makes them more apt to certain genres. (Btw, like WayneLigon I conflate D&D with d20 fantasy.)